It's that time of year, when Raiders fans break out the face paint and dust off their spiked shoulder pads and collection of tiny silver skulls. Passion reigns supreme as the Silver & Black returns for its 59th season, 49th in the NFL. After a memorable offseason that included adding Jon Gruden as head coach and trading away a defensive MVP, it's time to get down to brass tacks for the 2018 Raiders.
With stud defensive lineman Khalil Mack off to Chicago and promising offseason receiver Martavis Bryant cut and headed for a year-long suspension, there are more questions than answers heading into this season. Derek Carr is healthy and Coach Chucky is running the show but many in the Raider Nation are leery of this season's prospects. Here are five predictions for the Raiders 2018 season.
1. Marshawn Lynch will eclipse 1,000 yards before calling it quits at season's end
I love few players in the NFL more than I love 'Beast Mode.' Unapologetic for who he is and where he's from, he's so frequently misunderstood. He's not cut out for press conferences and the sometimes pot-stirring questioning from various click baiters. Enough about personality. Lynch is primed for a 1,000-yard season because he has plenty in the tank. He was arguably the most productive running back in the NFL, last season, during the final eight games. Lynch racked up 625 yards in the second half of the season. No reason he won't continue that pace. Satisfied with the performance and the Raiders leaving Oakland a year early, Lynch will hang them up for good so he can ghost ride into his retirement on top, boasting an excellent career and all the Skittles he'll ever need.
2. The young defensive line will be far superior than most think
With the loss of Mack, the Raiders boast a young defensive line. Gruden had to be confident in what he saw all training camp and preseason, which is why he allowed Mack to be traded in the first place. Paul Guenther's system is also strong. With veteran Bruce Irvin teaming with gifted youngsters like standout rookie Arden Key, the line should be serviceable. Fadol Brown (25) and Shilique Calhoun (26) should also help out on the edge. Interior linemen like defensive tackles Maurice Hurst, P.J. Hall, Ellis and newly-signed Brian Price should fair well clogging the lanes. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail, so I assume — much like Nike and their Kaepernick campaign — the numbers showed Gruden the move to trade Mack was a beneficial one for the franchise long-term. I trust the system so the line probably won't be as bad as everyone thinks it might be. The Opening Night showdown with Rams stud RB Todd Gurley will be a great first test.3. Amari Cooper, Jordy Nelson team for 2,250 yards
What happens when you combine a veteran mentor and a young gifted apprentice? Hopefully not Darth Vader. Then again, Raider Nation would probably embrace a Sith-like tandem lining up for Carr. Cooper's biggest knock has been drops and consistency. If Nelson, who learned from the best in Green Bay with buddy Aaron Rodgers, can pass on that sage advice vets are known for, Cooper will be primed to blow the doors off his career highs this year. Nelson, who reportedly is running like he's 25 again at camp, will force defenses to pull some attention away from Cooper, just long enough for him to slaughter the jawas and sandpeople lined up in the secondary. This could be a season to remember for Cooper.
4. Raiders will win seven games and finish third in the AFC West
The fashionable pick to win the division, the San Diego Chargers, lost pretty miserably in their season opener to the Chiefs, who are also average. The Denver Broncos won their opener against Seattle, who is mediocre this season as well. The "Donkeys of Denver" are not the defensive juggernaut they used to be and Case Keenum's cinderella story is running out of pages. The West is wide open for the Raiders. With a few favorable matchups and the occasional upset special, there's no reason to believe this team won't win seven games, which only might make for third-best and no postseason, but this rebuilding will take a little time. Fans will be pleasantly surprised by their overall record after the hyperbole of losing Mack.
5. The Oakland City Council will file suit, Raiders will leave for San Diego for 2019 season
The arrogance of the Oakland City Council is probably on full chest-pounding mode with the November elections just months away. If the council moves forward with their vindictive lawsuit, the Raiders will break their lease and head elsewhere for 2019. Sam Boyd Stadium isn't an option, which is why the Raiders will take a year-long vacation to San Diego when they announce at the end of the season an agreement to play their 2019 home games at Qualcomm Stadium. Raiders fans can bring their sunscreen and beach towel for a weekend at Pacific Beach instead of the cold, dreary winters off the bay. It's also an attractive five-hour jaunt for Vegas Raiders fans looking to join the 'Raider Nation' a year early.
